Hi,I'm looking for a way to rool out my PC installed sIBL collection across my company.So what I'm wondering is what are the options regarding distributing my db to multiple computers, as so far I'm the only one using it.

What is the db file(s) for the sIBL application, and can I move the location to a network drive and point other installations to it?

Or do I need to copy my file somewhere from where "clean/empty" installs can copy/replace theirs with?

It’s possible to share one Database file between multiple sIBL_GUI install. In order to do that you need to start sIBL_GUI with some command line parameters:

-d DATABASEDIRECTORY, —databaseDirectory=DATABASEDIRECTORY: This one is mandatory for what you want to do, it will tell sIBL_GUI to store / use the database on the provided path.-r, —databaseReadOnly: This one is optional, but HIGHLY recommended: It will hide / unexpose from the UI all methods that can write to the Database. That’s something important because the last thing you want is someone screwing the whole database by doing a mistake.

Example Command Line:

Code:

C:\\HDRLabs\\sIBL_GUI\\sIBL_GUI.exe -d “Z:/sIBL_Database/” -r

When the Database is read only, the automatic scanner adding new IBL Sets is deactivated meaning that newly IBL Sets dropped into your library directory won’t be added automatically.

It’s a good idea to put the Database with a real file system write lock in case someone launch a sIBL_GUI instance without the command line arguments.

That way you can have artists using the Database a supervisor has defined, and even using different Databases depending on their current production.

Have the whole install moved to the network, and create/add the database.

You can make the app and database folders read-only, so no-one can tinker with the files.

On all pc's a shortcut is enough to run.If you run Softimage, you can add the server plugin into a workgroup, so every Softimage install will 'see' the sIBL_GUI menu options.For Maya just add the plugin files.